'Poverty is real:' Feed the Need MKE delivers fresh food to families as grocery delivery surges

MILWAUKEE -- As people try to avoid public areas amid the coronavirus -- grocery delivery is becoming more popular, but not everyone has access. There's a new community effort to help those most at risk.

While it may have looked like someone was hoarding bread outside Ephesians Missionary Baptist Church near 6th Street and Meinecke Avenue in Milwaukee Thursday, April 9, instead, it was all heading inside to be organized into well-balanced meal boxes.

Rev. Raymond Monk

“Today, we’re packing meals, and then, we have volunteers who will be coming later today to help us distribute those meals to those that are in-need across the city," said Rev. Raymond Monk, pastor.

The boxes of fresh food -- intended for families who have been identified as being in need, whether it be due to an underlying health condition or lack of access.

“We recognize that not everybody can get to meal pantry sites, so we want to make sure that they still have access to food," said Bria Grant, executive director and founder of UniteMKE.

Thursday marked the launch of Feed the Need MKE -- a partnership between Feeding America, UniteMKE, Ephesians Missionary Baptist Church and others impacted by COVID-19.

“We’re a vulnerable population. Poverty is real, and it impacts us in great ways," said Grant.

Bria Grant

One hundred meals were being delivered Thursday -- with no plans to stop.

“We want to make sure that we can be available for our families as long as they need us to be," said Grant.

In addition to food, the boxes were also filled with information on how to stop the spread and how to connect with resources.

Rebel Industries donated 3,500 masks to Feed the Need to help protect the volunteers and community health workers.